


Heart To Heart

by duckweed_and_pondscum



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Gen, Growing Pains, Heteronormativity, Snorkfröken | The Snork Maiden changes color, amatonormativity, getting into spats and figuring life out, just some teenagers, sniff has the braincell for once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25283185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duckweed_and_pondscum/pseuds/duckweed_and_pondscum
Summary: If you asked Snufkin to describe Snorkmaiden, he would probably sit for a minute, mulling it over. And then what he’d say is that Snorkmaiden is a clever, resourceful girl, a kind and sensitive soul, and a good friend. He talks about her with a small but fond smile on his face. Except for right now, if you hiked out to the cave and asked him if he was okay.
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Sniff & Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Snorkfröken | The Snork Maiden & Snusmumriken | Snufkin
Comments: 7
Kudos: 97





	Heart To Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so the summary is kinda misleading, Sniff is actually in a good half of this.

The day had started out perfectly fine. Maybe not for Moomintroll, pappa had dragged him out to the forest in a spur-of-the moment decision to teach him to be a man. But for Snufkin and Snorkmaiden, who had looked at each other and decided that they were well overdue for each other’s companionship. 

They were sitting on a windswept hill, a field full of flowers below them. Snorkmaiden was reading a romance novel, and Snufkin was playing a tune, soft and cheerful, full of fondness but unburdened by the dramas of romance. 

Occasionally she would look up from her book to gush about a moment, or complain that the scene felt awkward, and Snufkin would give a short but amiable response. This happened more than Snufkin would have preferred it to, but other than that she seemed to have gotten the hang of this “coexisting in the same space” form of bonding. She seemed more laid back than usual, though perhaps that was because Moomintroll wasn’t here. 

“And her eyes were as blue as a beautiful summer sky. They were like pools and he wanted to swim in them,” Snorkmaiden read aloud, cooing. 

Snufkin stopped playing and hummed lightly. “I’ve never seen someone so obsessed with a woman’s appearance as this author! Are all romance novels like this?” 

Snorkmaiden scoffed, “of course! Compliments are romantic,”

“But why not compliment them on their brains? Or their strength?” Snufkin asked, puzzled. 

Snorkmaiden flushed mint green with embarrassment. “I… never thought about that,” she admitted. 

Snufkin felt a little bad about this. He didn’t know why, he was right after all. 

“Moomintroll never compliments your appearance,” he supplied helpfully. 

“Moomintroll never compliments my anything,” Snorkmaiden spat back bitterly, turning a dark blue-green. 

“Oh.” Snufkin felt a right fool now. “Want me to compliment you instead?” 

The green shifted to lilac as Snorkmaiden giggled. “Snufkin, are you trying to court me?” 

Snufkin’s eyes widened in panic, before he realized that this was probably a joke. After all, she knew, right? Knew his bent?

“Fair Snorkmaiden, heavens no! You are far too above my league, i would be an icarus to try and woo you”

“Oh Snufkin, you’re too charming!” 

Of course she knew, she had to. 

“You’ll have no problem getting a girlfriend,” she added sweetly. Snufkin felt like he had gotten his paw stuck in syrup. mired, and sticky, and uncomfortable.

“So, any girls on your mind?” she finished. 

Simple correction, no big deal. Just say there’s a boy, right? 

Snufkin scoffed. “Girls? Not really,” 

“Oh, don’t be so down on yourself! I’m sure a nice girl will come around sometime soon,” Snorkmaiden said sympathetically. 

“I’d rather she not. I don’t want any girls.” Snufkin muttered.

Snorkmaiden sighed. “Ah, the free and single life,”

That- wasn’t what he meant. 

“I wish i could lead that kind of life too..” she finished, somewhat despondently. 

“Then why don’t you?” 

Snorkmaiden turned a surprised orange. “One can’t simply  _ do _ that!”

Snufkin was confused. “and why not?” he asked, “it’s what i did.” 

“Because i want to be loved!” she cried. 

“Hhhm, those don’t fit together at all,” Snufkin said with a hum. Snorkmaiden’s expression soured as she turned a paris green, but she said nothing to Snufkin of the irony of his saying that. 

“But i want both!” Snorkmaiden whined. It’s not fair. Snufkin has both. It all happens for Snufkin. 

“Then choose wisely,” said Snufkin, not looking down from the sky. He seemed entirely unperturbed by what was happening. By how much he had it all. Snorkmaiden felt something inside her stretch and break.

“You’re not even listening!” she bellowed, turning a frustrated chartreuse, “i want to be loved and free to go! I want to be loved enough  _ to _ be free to go! I want to be loved in a way that i know that I can leave, and come back, and he’ll be sitting there waiting for me!” 

Snufkin bristled at the implied comparison. It taunted him, told him that things were true which certainly weren’t. “What do you want from me?” he hissed, irritation poisoning his voice, “Comfort? Consolation? Little platitudes?” 

“I don’t know!” she cried out, her color turning muddy in confusion. “Reassurance from someone who has what i want!” 

Snufkin felt like he’d been slapped across the face. He felt like when Moomintroll would come running to the bridge on the first day of spring, and would barrel into Snufkin with a hug, knocking the wind out of him. He got to his feet. 

“Then you’ve come to the wrong place,” he said coldly. Then he walked away, towards the sea with long, meaningful strides. Snorkmaiden was left sitting behind him on the hill, her dull navy fur betraying her dry eyes. 

* * *

Snufkin sits in the cave, shell-shocked and staring at the wall. His thoughts are a mess, and he tries desperately to get them under control. No one comes to comfort him. That’s fine, he likes it better this way anyway. 

Drip, drop, drip, drop. The sound of water dripping from the stalactites reminds Snufkin of the parlor clock in Moominhouse. The stalactites are a bit slower, though. Or maybe that’s just Snufkin’s torn and trapped mind. 

He hears footsteps approaching, and rolls his eyes. That would be Moomintroll, right on cue. Here to comfort his best friend, and forget the girlfriend who was no doubt so upset. Huh. No wonder Snorkmaiden thinks she isn’t loved, even a mere friend takes more importance in Moomintroll’s life. Snufkin turns to the cave entrance, prepared to send Moomin back to where he was needed. 

“Snufkin?” Sniff calls into the cave. 

That’s- certainly unexpected. 

More than ever, Snufkin really doesn’t want to be comforted. Maybe if he stays quiet Sniff will go away. Perhaps he’ll be fooled into thinking Snufkin isn’t here. Perhaps he’ll be scared into fooling himself. 

The footsteps start again, and Snufkin smiles for a second, before a spike of panic shoots through him and he realizes that they’re getting  _ louder. _

“Snufkin, come outside, will you?” Sniff says, whines even, “it’s hard to see in here,”

“No,” Snufkin huffs, irritated. Then he adds spitefully, “it’s not hard to see at all, your eyesight’s just bad,”

Sniff sighs as he approaches, and it’s probably meant to be wearily, but like everything else Sniff does it just sounds whiny and petulant. 

They fall into silence, and for once it’s enough to make Snufkin squirm.

“Why are you here?” he finally snaps. 

Sniff gives an almost wistful smile. “Everyone of importance is busy with Snorkmaiden,” he says, “and you’re already grumpy, figured i can’t make it much worse,”

_ Everyone of importance. _ The words shove their way into Snufkin’s brain, forcing him to make space for them among his spinning angry thoughts. 

“And what did you think you’d accomplish, exactly?” Snufkin asks, no less cruelly than before but certainly trying. 

Sniff shrugs. “Aside from me, Snorkmaiden’s the most insecure person I know. Difference is I’ve accepted it. I figured i could help you know where she’s coming from,” 

That’s… surprisingly insightful. When did Sniff get so insightful? Snufkin realizes with a flash of guilt that he hasn’t really paid attention to Sniff in years. 

“Well, where is she coming from then?” Snufkin asked, irritation and curiosity canceling out into a simply odd, clipped tone. 

“She feels neglected. She feels alone, and she’s jealous of you.” 

“But i’m the loner! I’m always alone!” Snufkin cries. 

Sniff scoffs, and this time it sounds… exasperated. Not petulant at all. “Do you think that stops anybody? You’re a people magnet. They love you.” 

“And whose fault is that? It’s not my doing! I don’t want to be admired!” Snufkin bemoans. 

“You do too,” Sniff retorts, childishly but still correct, “you wanna be admired and then you don’t wanna deal with the effects of it, which are people enjoying your company!” 

How dare Sniff! How dare he lie, pull this out of thin air! How dare he say something so- 

How dare he say something so completely true. 

Snufkin fidgets uncomfortably. For all his travelled worldliness and wise words and observations, he’s been the one in a bubble all along. 

“She still shouldn’t have dumped that on me,” grumbles Snufkin. 

“Yeah, that was wrong of her. And it’s wrong of Moomintroll to ignore her for you. And it’s wrong of you to leave him hanging. You’re all asses.” 

“Sniff! Language!” admonishes Snufkin.

“Well it’s true!” Sniff whines. And despite the clumsy language, Snufkin has to admit, he has a point. 

“So… what now?” Snufkin asks in an uncharacteristically small voice. 

Sniff shrugs. “I dunno. You’re the smart one here,” 

Snufkin feels a small, terrible flash of guilt at that. But it would feel wrong to correct him, so he doesn’t. 

“I… suppose I should apologize to her..” Snufkin says slowly. 

“Yeah,” Sniff agrees, “and Snufkin?”

“What?” 

“Can we go outside? It’s dark and scary in here.” 

Snufkin laughs, and gets to his feet. He thinks for a minute, then holds out his hand. Sniff takes it, and they leave the cave together. 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I'm @ragabond on tumblr dot com, feel free to come yell at me about moomins.


End file.
